An Earthbound Angel
by Anya Maygo
Summary: I OWN NOTHING! Okay, this is probably going to end up a little different from what I've normally done, but I happened to like this kind of idea.
1. Return of the Curse

The Return of the Curse

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><p>Hi. My name's Kairi Chiyoko. My life was pretty mediocre up until one day at school when I was fourteen. Daisuke was acting so depressed in class.<p>

And…he ended up getting thrown onto cleaning duty by our resident reporter Masaki. Personally, I think our newsboy's a jerk.

Hiwatari, too, was acting strange.

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><p>Finally I got home to an ordinary dinner. The strange part was actually after dinner. I was writing out some music notation when suddenly my sight went blurry!<p>

"Hey! What gives?" I squinted at the paper. "Since when does sight just fade all at once like that?"

My mom suddenly called me over to the TV. There was a news program about some thief named Dark!

I squinted at the TV, trying to see. I couldn't make out any pictures. I just couldn't see anything clearly, only blobs of color.

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><p>My sight didn't come back until late that night. At least, I assume it was sometime during the night; when Mom woke me up with the phone in her hand, I could see clearly, if you ignore the part where I'm always bleary-eyed in the morning.<p>

"I called your grandmother," she said.

"Mmm? …Which…" My brain hadn't quite woken up yet, or I'd have remembered that I only had one grandmother living.

"My mother. She always had that one story that she loved telling to me. I hadn't believed it, so I don't remember it well enough to tell you myself. After that thief turned up again, though, I think it has some truth to it." She put the phone into my hand.

Putting the phone to my ear, I mumbled, "Hmm?" I'm not a morning person.

"Honestly," my grandmother's raspy voice came through the receiver, "why your mother had to go waking you up to hear this old thing is beyond me."

"Mmm-hmm."

"Anyway, try to wake up and listen carefully to the story of the Chiyoko curse."

That woke me up, at least a little. "Curse?"

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><p>At school, Masaki was going on about how Phantom Dark had caused accidents. Risa defended him, and then Daisuke ran out.<p>

Risa called me later. "Do you think you could come with me to watch for Phantom Dark tonight? I'm not sure Niwa could come."

"Uh…I could come…I'd have to ask my mother first, but sure. I'm not sure I'd be of much use in spotting him, though."

"Great! I'll see you tonight at eleven-thirty!" And with that, she hung up.

I sighed. _The Chiyoko curse…will make sure I never see him clearly._ My sight had already gone dim, so evidently Dark was already out and about.

We found each other near the church. I almost didn't make it as far as I did. Dim sight equals near-blindness at night.

I ran into her, actually.

"Oh, there you are!"

"Sorry, I don't see very well at night." Suddenly, my sight came back! "What the?" I blinked.

"What is it?" Risa asked.

"Nothing. It's nothing."

Then we spotted Daisuke! As soon as _he_ spotted _us_, he started running!

Then my sight went dim again. "Okay," I protested, "_now_ I'm confused!"

Risa took hold of my hand and walked over to the stranger that I couldn't see clearly. It was, evidently, Dark himself!

He was talking to Risa, inviting her out on a date, and he didn't seem to have noticed me, possibly because I hadn't said anything. Then some light show happened above us, and when it was done, my sight came back again!

Risa looked…preoccupied. Which was fine with me, I could just find my own way back home.

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><p><strong>AN: The story of the curse will be told in the next chapter.**


	2. Earthbound Angels

Earthbound Angels

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><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

The next day, I heard from Masaki of young girls disappearing! I told myself I had to be extra careful.

Then tonight, I heard something strange, saw a unicorn…and…I don't remember what happened after that.

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><p><strong>Daisuke<strong>

I cot a call from Miss Harada, and she was telling me that her sister was gone!

Grandpa told us about a unicorn. I decided to try this on my own. Grandpa did warn me that at the first sign of trouble, I should turn into Dark, but I doubted I'd need to.

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><p>I rode my bike all the way to the mansion. Then I slipped in through a secret passageway that took me tunderwater.<p>

Climbing out, I suddenly saw a unicorn fly in with Miss Harada on its back! I ran after, yelling after her, and she woke up and called my name!

I dashed through a door and found a painting with Miss Harada stuck inside! "It's not fair!" I cried. "I came all the way here…I came here all by myself…why? Why can't I do it?"

Finally, I called Dark out.

**Dark**

"Aw, you can be such a crybaby sometimes."

Then the old man who painted the picture came in, explaining about his painting. How he'd painted it while his daughter was still alive, and how she'd died, making the painting his last work. He asked me to take it and to take good care of it.

"Fine. We'll do it your way, then." I pulled out the feather Grandpa gave me and entered the painting.

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><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

Suddenly, I snapped out of whatever trance I'd been in, and I couldn't tell where anything was, or find any familiar landmarks, or anything! I could only make out bright blobs of color!

**Dark**

Almost the first thing I saw was a small girl's party, with Daisuke's classmates around the table. The only one of them who was moving was a girl with waist-length green hair, and she looked like she was in a panic. What was her name again...

The only other girl with free will sicced her unicorn on me, and I had to spend most of my time dodging it, along with getting hit. I just hoped that Risa had woken up by now and was trying to talk sense into that little girl – she was the only one who'd revived seconds before going into the painting, so she had the best chance of waking up while still inside the painting.

Finally, the unicorn stopped! I called Wiff, got my wings, and captured the unicorn.

Then I landed near the girls, and lifting my feather into the air, sent all the girls still in a trance back out of the painting. Looking at the still-panicking girl, I asked, "Risa, what's her name?"

"Hm? Oh, that's Kairi Chiyoko. I don't know what's wrong with her, though."

_Chiyoko!_ "I think _I_ do. I'll explain it when we're outside, but first…" I walked over to her, caught her shoulders and gave her a shake. "Kairi! Calm down!"

She stopped and stared at me…with clouded-over eyes.

_Thought so._ "Don't worry, I'll get you out of here." I grabbed her hand, and then took Risa's hand and flew us out.

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><p>After Riku woke up, I took Risa out on our date. I would have kissed her, but Daisuke made a fuss, so I told her that it would mean more if we waited.<p>

As I flew her home, she asked, "So…what was wrong with Kairi?"

"Well…it's like this:

"A long time ago, I had to steal something from the Chiyoko family. It just had too much magical power. When I got there, their daughter was still awake and she came over to me. But she had her eyes closed, so that she could truthfully tell anyone who asked that she'd never seen me."

"That's romantic. Was that Kairi's grandmother?"

"Great-great-grandmother, I think. She'd been bad at lying, but she wanted to meet me; hence her little trick. Anyway – and this is what I learned from a later visit – some mage came by asking about me. She told him that line, and he found one of my feathers, catching her in her half-truth. He cursed her, telling her that she would never again see an earthbound angel."

"Earthbound angel?"

"That's the way that the Chiyokos referred to me, for I was an angel flying around on earth instead of in heaven. So now, whenever I'm around, the most recent Chiyoko will either get bad eyesight or even go blind temporarily."

"Oh! So what happened to Kairi is…"

"I came, and her sight responded by going dim. That snapped her out of that trance she was in, but she was in a strange location she couldn't see very well, and she couldn't make out if anyone she knew was nearby."

"And she panicked."

"Yep."

"I hope she'll be okay."

"She will be, once I leave."

I dropped her off at her house and flew home.

_Dark?_ Daisuke spoke up._ Why didn't you tell me you were tied to some family other than mine?_

"Aside from the fact that I had no idea they were still in town? You didn't ask."

**Risa**

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><p>Poor Kairi. She'd never get to see Mister Dark. Then I remembered what she'd said to me the night before!<p>

"I'm not sure how much help I'll be in spotting Dark…" "I don't see too well at night…" But she'd gone out with me late one night before and had no trouble seeing, in fact she could see _better_ than I could… "What the? …Nothing. It's nothing…" "All right, _now_ I'm confused…" Her sight must have been flickering on and off! No _wonder_ she was confused!

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><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

I sat down in the car driving me home, thinking about what my grandmother had told me.

"I've always had two guesses connecting to this curse. One, the phantom thief is actually an angel using another's body to be earthbound, hence the reason my sight could turn on and off as opposed to staying off; and two, there's more than one earthbound angel!"

"What?"

"When the phantom thief appears, my sight only went dim. But sometimes, my sight would go dim and then vanish altogether! _That_ could only happen if there were more than one angel. I have no proof, but there you go."

I touched my shoulder thoughtfully. I wasn't sure Dark had needed to shake me _that_ hard to get my attention, but he was probably in a bit of a hurry to get us out of the painting – yes, I know it was a painting, Risa told me – before some time limit.

It had been interesting in a funny kind of way, though: of all the bright colors around me in that painting, I always knew exactly when I was looking at Dark.

He had been the blackest spot in all that brightness.


	3. Total Blindness

Total Blindness

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><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

Hiwatari was acting very preoccupied lately. He always made me nervous, but never more so than now.

On another subject, just watching Daisuke with Risa in the courtyard…told me Risa wasn't a very good cook.

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><p>Later, both Daisuke and Hiwatari disappeared. Risa was looking for Daisuke, and she came to me and Riku for help.<p>

I idly wondered, and then discarded, the possibility of Dark appearing. Dark only shows up at night!

Well…except for that first time…it wasn't quite night yet…

Suddenly, my sight went dim!

_Dark? _Now_?_

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><p>A few minutes later, an explosion triggered Riku's memory, about their being in the freezer. We got to the locked door, and a crash came from within, along with Daisuke's yell!<p>

Then I lost my sight completely!

_Wha…oh! It's _not_ Dark, or rather…not _just_ Dark. Dark and some other earthbound angel are in there…and fighting!_

Maybe I was wrong, but I _do_ have an active imagination.

And it turns out, I _wasn't_ wrong. Without my sight, my hearing was very acute: I could hear perfectly well what was happening on the other side of the steel door. Dark named the other guy as Krad, and I could hear a crazy battle inside. Finally, it ended around the time help came to get the door open, and my sight came back altogether.

When we got in, we saw Daisuke and Hiwatari lying on the floor. Daisuke was only barely conscious for long enough to ask about the unconscious Hiwatari.

_Well, now I know who the two earthbound angels are. The question is: which is which?_

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><p>The next day, I saw Hiwatari's limo drop off Daisuke. I was still with torn feelings over this, but I had to ask somehow.<p>

"Hey, Niwa!" I never saw the point of calling him by his last name for some reason, but I did it anyway when speaking. My thoughts were my own.

"Huh? Oh, hey, Miss Chiyoko."

That all but solved it for me. See, Daisuke had never before used my last name, because I did a brilliant job of being ignored. Actually, as near as I've been able to tell, only the Harada twins knew my last name and occasionally used it. But Risa had told only one man my last name: Phantom Dark!

"Um…can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Uh…sure."

We went into the courtyard and just sat down on the same bench that Daisuke and Risa had been on yesterday.

"Um…I'm not sure how to start this. Uh…have you heard of the curse on my family?"

"Do you mean the Chiyoko curse, where the family will never see Dark? Um…yeah, why?"

I studied him for a minute. Then I answered, slowly and deliberately, "The boys here don't speak to me, and I doubt they even remember my last name. A lot of the girls know it, but they don't use it. As far as I know, only one boy had been recently told my last name."

He was starting to look nervous. "Oh, yeah? Who?"

I took a breath and looked him right in the eye. "Phantom Dark."

He jerked away from me with a yelp. I sighed. "Oh, come on, I don't bite. Relax: I'm not going to go to the press with this, because revealing how I knew would also give me undue attention. Besides, for all I know, I could be completely wrong and you have a better memory than I'm giving you credit for. Still…" I decided to play this one up and stared at the sky. "It would be nice…if I could receive a warning letter of sorts from Dark…so that I could know when it's pointless for me to try to write music at night."

**Daisuke**

I stared at her. Then I remembered something Grandpa had said about the Chiyokos yesterday when I'd gotten home from dealing with Krad.

"_Was Miss Chiyoko anywhere near where Dark and Krad fought?"_

"_Um…yeah?"_

"_You'd better tell her, then. She'll already suspect, and it's her right to know which of her classmates carries within him…the angel that can be trusted."_

I sighed. _Well, Grandpa was right about her suspecting. _ "Miss Chiyoko? Um…can you keep a secret?"

She looked at me. "Of course."

I leaned over and whispered into her ear, "I am Phantom Dark."

She caught hold of my shoulders, pushed me back, and studied my face. I don't know what she was thinking.

Then she sat back again, letting me go. "Dark's a difficult guy to room with, isn't he?"

I sighed. "You have no idea."

**Kairi**

I glanced at Daisuke. "We ought to have a code system for you to warn me about when you're likely to have a mission. I can give you my phone number, but…you might reach my mom. And if you're going to warn me here, I doubt you want anyone else to know."

"Yeah. Uh…what did you have in mind?"

I studied him. "You paint, right? You could say…that you want me to pose for a painting of a mysterious girl, hence the reason you're working nights to have a shadowy lighting. And the nights you want to work on this painting…"

He caught on quickly. "Are the nights that Dark's going to steal something!"

"Right! Whether or not you actually choose to make this painting is up to you; I just think it ought to be the code phrase. If we do make this painting for real, though…" I grinned sheepishly. "I don't know where your house is."

He invited me over, and I got to meet his mom, grandfather and pet rabbit, Wiff.

Mister Niwa asked me, "How's your grandmother doing?"

"Fine. She still remembers Dark clear as a bell, though her eyesight's starting to fade naturally."

When we got to Daisuke's room, I looked out his window while he fussed around with a sketchpad. I could see a house on a cliff from there.

"Okay, I'm ready. Can you think of some pose that could be mysterious?"

"Um..." I thought about that carefully. Then I grabbed a blanket of his off the bed, wrapped it around my waist for a longer skirt than my school uniform had, and stood straight, my arms held down by my sides and looking up and to the side. I was imagining that I was looking at Dark, and how awestruck I would be at the sight, assuming I could see him clearly.

"Oh, that looks good, Miss Chiyoko!" I heard the scratching of his pencil as he sketched out the basics of the look. Finally, he stopped sketching and asked, "What do you think? Is this what you want?"

I turned and looked. He'd captured my expression so well - my slightly-open mouth, and my eyes were shining! Suddenly, I realized the pose I'd inadvertently made: I often pose like that when I'm singing! "That's perfect!"

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><p><strong>AN: This painting is likely to be finished by the end of the fic.**


	4. Music and NDEs

Music and NDE's

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><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

Several weeks had passed. I'd gotten Dark-vision (what I'd opted to term my sight going blurry) four times, and Daisuke had decided he really would work on that painting.

I'd made a dress that worked for the mysterious girl image – a long-skirted, flowing black dress with long loose sleeves – and I was keeping the thing at his house.

"You're painting the thing at your house," I told him, "so you get to hang onto it until the painting's done."

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><p>Though, one day, I decided to wear the dress out: to a funeral.<p>

It was the only black dress I had, so we went with it.

I'd insisted on coming to this event, just as Risa had. I thought it amusing that she was wearing a black ribbon in her hair as opposed to her normal pink ribbon.

The death of a musician is a sad thing: another piece of music removed from the world.

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><p>After the service, we went to their house.<p>

We were brought to see the man's violin, and apparently, Daisuke's grandfather was to be given the thing. The sister of the dead musician was sad over the fact that she was dead.

The older members left the room to deal with paperwork, and we stayed in the room with the violin.

Suddenly, we noticed the violin case was open. Daisuke kept Risa from touching it, and then, with a strange amount of effort, closed the case.

I rubbed my eyes. _That was weird; for a second there, my eyesight flickered._

Risa dove to catch Daisuke, who seemed faint. Then Daisuke looked up.

His eyes were purple!

Risa ran out around the time Daisuke figured out something was wrong, and his grandfather came back in.

"What's the matter, Daisuke?" he asked.

I'd closed my eyes again, deciding my ears would tell me what was up.

"I'm afraid we have a little problem."

My eyes snapped open again. "Dark?"

Amazingly, my voice was still at conversation-level volume and I hadn't yelled.

We stared at the closed violin case for a little bit, and the two men talked about what was going on. I mostly tuned them out.

Up until, of course, they made a ring of black feathers around Dark and started working magic.

"It's been a long time since we've done this," Daisuke's grandfather said, holding up a black feather of his own. "Working magic together."

"Yes, but as I recall," Dark retorted softly, "the last time we were in the same body." He closed his eyes. Then he opened one and looked at me. "By the way, Kairi?" A slight smile quirked the side of Daisuke's face.

"Hm?"

"That dress: very becoming."

Before I could think of a retort, he closed his eye again and started…whatever it was they were doing.

After who knows what, Daisuke fell down. His grandfather laid him down on the sofa, and I sat down with him.

When he woke up, he started talking…nonsense, at least to me. His grandfather understood, though.

Then we went outside again, listening to the bells.

* * *

><p>Then one day, some time later, I opted to go night-swimming in the ocean. There was this one tunnel I'd found underwater some time ago, and I used my flippers to figure out, without drowning myself, where it led. It led to an underwater cave, and on later trips, I brought a towel, robe and slippers – all old, so they wouldn't be missed – to the cave, so that I could use it as a kind of clubhouse. I wanted to go there and think for a while.<p>

This time, I had to dodge the police. _Why are they hanging around so close to my hideout?_ I was beginning to regret not waiting long enough to hear from Daisuke about anything Dark was planning.

I pulled my flippers on, slipped down my goggles, and slid into the water without a sound. I got as close to the entrance as I could with my head above water without being spotted, and then took a deep breath and dove.

I swam extremely fast and extremely far underwater. I knew the way like the back of my hand, but this time, something was different: there were objects floating from the end of chains anchored to the bottom. I tried not to touch any of them.

Then my sight went dim.

_Oh, great._

I started going a little harder, hoping to make it to my cave before my air ran out.

Then I must have touched one of those things with a flipper, because a net came up around me!

Rather than panic and thrash, I stopped and tried feeling out my situation. A strong net…I couldn't seem to find the release for it.

Then my vision started fading even more…

**Dark**

I found Kairi when I was almost to the temple itself and being chased by the police – stuck in a net, and only barely struggling!

_**Dark, we've got to help her!**_

_I know, I know! Just give me a minute!_ I cut her free, pulled her onto my scooter, and set off the other traps – amazing that she got to the last one in the line of four without triggering the rest – catching my pursuit. _Try again in another hundred years!_

_**Why was she down here in the first place?**_

When we came up, I saw why: there were a few things here that looked like they belonged to her.

I set her out on the floor, pulled off her goggles and started working on reviving her.

**Kairi**

I thought I could feel something…like someone was…am I dead?

I started coughing.

"Ah, so you're okay."

_I know that voice._ "Yeah…I'm okay." I squinted at Dark. In this shadow, I could barely see him.

"I did try to warn you, but you weren't at your house."

"I figured that not waiting for word before pulling a night stunt was a bad idea." I yanked my flippers off, pulled the robe and slippers on, and looked back at him again. "I don't know what your plan is, but I believe I can keep up with you, since trying to leave the same way I came in while you're still running around is near impossible."

Dark…I think he was studying me. "I suppose I could have you tag along. You'll have to keep up, though, and do just as I say."

"If I'm not coming back this way, could you bring my flippers?"

"Sure." He shoved them into his bag, took my hand, and led me into the temple I hadn't dared enter alone. "Proceed with caution, I guess." He sounded amused.

* * *

><p><strong>Dark<strong>

_**This is a bad idea,**_ Daisuke remarked in the back of my head. He didn't have any better ideas on what to do with Kairi, though, so I just brought her with me.

We entered a round room with lots of doorways, and suddenly gates started closing! I dragged Kairi in the direction of the one I wanted. "You'd better duck!"

I'll give her credit: as soon as she felt me pick up speed, she matched my pace, and ducked her head. We cleared that gate, and then I saw a gate ahead of us closing!

I pushed her ahead. "Run as fast as you can – a gate's coming down in front of you!"

She ran, with me right behind her. Kairi actually did a forward roll to get through the gate – apparently, she'd managed to make out how much room she had – and I slid after her just as it clanged shut.

She'd stopped on her back and was gasping for breath.

"It looks like the cops are really into it tonight!" I looked back at Kairi. "Are you sure you can keep up?"

"Ten-four, ready for more."

_I kind of like her attitude._ I helped her up and we set off again running.

After a while, though, we had to stop suddenly!

"What's up, Dark?"

"A large gap in the pathway. How do you suggest we handle this?"

She cocked her head and thought, studying the situation herself. "Do you have to cross the gap?"

"Yeah."

"Then I'll hang onto your back. I'm light, and I'm really good at keeping my grip."

"I guess we'll try it." She hopped onto my back – she wasn't quite as light as she'd been trying to imply, but it wasn't outside my range – and I fired a rope across the gap. Then I spotted a laser on the other side!

I leaped across the gap as the laser sliced through the rope, and then I kicked the laser and landed on the other side. "Guess I didn't need a rope! Kairi, are you okay?"

She loosened her grip on me. "Y-yeah. I actually figured that you'd need to do that – I saw the little light over here."

_**I didn't think they'd use lasers! That was close, wasn't it?**_

"That was close," Kairi repeated as she got off my back.

"Not really. Actually, the fun starts here."

"If _this_ is _fun_…" She stopped. I guess she hadn't decided how to end that sentence.

We ran down a cave tunnel, and I left a bomb on the wall as I ran. "You were right to come along, Kairi: this place isn't going to be a hideout for you anymore."

"I…I figured." She was a little short on breath.

"Don't worry: we'll be slowing down in a little bit."

We got to a statue and stopped.

"Why, how lovely you are, mademoiselle. It's an honor, really." I lifted a feather.

"Are…you talking to a statue?" Kairi sounded amused.

I set my feather against the mermaid's pearl, and activated a door's opening without answering her.

"_I_ can see _that,_" she remarked.

Then we had to start running, because the ceiling was starting to collapse!

"What were you saying about this place not being my hideout anymore?"

"Well…you might still be able to go to that cave outside the entrance, but I wouldn't count on it, and you won't be able to explore any further with proper sight."

We got to a more stable location in the temple, and then Risa fell at our feet!

Kairi squinted. "That's not who I think it is, is it?"

"Risa!"

"Ho dang."

Then she noticed us. Honestly, having _one_ tagalong on this mission was hard enough, but _two_?

**Kairi**

Dark had to leap us both out of the way of a something-slide (I couldn't make out what it was), and Risa was enjoying being in his arms a little much. I hated how she sounded like an airhead when talking to Dark – like, she never actually answered his question of how she got here.

Then she noticed me. "What are you doing here?"

"Long story short, I got stuck in the police's trap, Dark saved me, and now I'm staying with him until we get out of here. At least if I'm with him, I'll know when my sight will come back to full strength."

"Oh."

We got into a dark-blue area again.

"Stone steps," Dark warned me.

"Lead me down the first one, and I'll be able to make the rest on my own."

Once that was accomplished, I made the jumps down the steps and listened to Dark and Risa half-argue, which was making them both go a little slower.

"You're being reckless, did you know that?"

"Because I wanted to see you! You're always busy with your work. How about this, I'll be a phantom thief, too! Then we could go out every night, right?"

"There's no way that you could become one!"

"Yeah, it's a great idea! I was even able to make it here all by myself, so maybe I have a bit of a talent for it, so what do you think?"

_I think she's not listening to him. He just said there was no way._

"I don't think so. Kairi, look out – you're at the edge of another drop!"

I stopped short and didn't move. "Thanks."

When Dark and Risa stopped near me, he asked, "You two can both handle climbing down a ladder, right?"

"Yeah," I answered.

"Yeah…can I go first?"

"But if you fell, then who would catch you?"

I set a hand on his shoulder – blind luck. "I'll go first, I have a good grip."

"I know you do." He took my wrist and guided my hand to the ladder. "Here. Now be careful."

I started down fairly quickly, and heard him start to follow me.

"Come down at your own pace," Dark said to Risa as she started after him.

"D-don't look up!" she called.

_Adventuring in a skirt? Probably heels, too. She doesn't know the first thing about adventures._

"I'll wait for you down here!"

I made it to the bottom first, and stepped to the side to wait for Dark's guiding hand.

I heard him land, and then felt him take hold of my arm and start leading me. When Risa screamed, we ran back, and I asked, "What just happened?"

"Risa got caught in a net!" Then he suddenly muttered, "So that's what's going on!" and started dragging me again back through the same passage he'd started leading me down before the scream.

"Wait, what?"

He let go of my arm to open a large door. The room on the other side was very pink.

Then a voice I wasn't expecting came to my ears with an echo. "I've been waiting for you, though I wasn't expecting you to get here in such good time with a half-blind girl."

_Hiwatari?_

"Long time no see," Dark retorted, taking hold of my arm again and leading me in.

"I've often dreamt of the day when I would meet you again."

"Did I ever mention," I asked, "that your tone and phrasing of certain sentences weirds me out?"

"Where is Risa?" Dark called.

"Don't worry about her. I sent her above ground a long time ago. In any case, my battle with you is almost over."

"Don't be so sure. Kairi, could you just sit down on the floor and wait? I'll come back for you."

I plopped down and crossed my legs, waiting with my currently-useless eyes closed and letting my ears tell me what was going on.

**Dark**

Well, so much for the easy part. Hiwatari was using electricity to keep me from getting anywhere near the Horn of Neptune!

And Kairi didn't move, even though Hiwatari – a boy who she all but said creeped her out – walked right past her. I'd half-hoped he'd trip on her.

Then I had to break a security camera.

**Kairi**

I heard a clatter. Then Hiwatari remarked, "Well, _that_ was wasteful."

I snickered and wondered what Dark had done.

Then Dark grabbed something from him, if his "Got it!" was anything to go by.

I don't know exactly what happened, but something stone broke.

"Well, sorry about that," Dark said when all footsteps stopped, "but it looks like I win again!"

"Do you? Oh, I don't know about that."

I stood up slowly.

"It's checkmate!"

I don't know what happened, but judging by what Hiwatari was saying, Dark had just gotten restrained by something Creepy had done. And…Hiwatari had forgotten all about me.

Then something went bang, and everything started shaking!

"Dark?" I staggered, completely disoriented – as if I hadn't been disoriented already.

**Dark**

One of the hourglasses tipped over, freeing me from its prison. I leaped over Hiwatari, grabbed Kairi's arm and dragged her up onto the Neptune statue and up further onto the top of a pillar that was only barely big enough for both of us to stand on.

"Take a deep breath, Kairi. It'll be a long swim." I fastened the Horn onto my back.

_**Where's Hiwatari?**_

_He should be fine._

I put my breathing apparatus into my mouth, listened for Kairi's final deep breath, and pulled her into the water after me. Since there wasn't time for her to get her flippers out of my bag and onto her feet, I was doing a lot of pulling her. At least she was trying to stay out of the way of my feet.

We broke the surface, and as she gasped for breath, I yelled, "Wiff, now!"

Wiff became my wings and I took flight, dragging Kairi out of the water with me and with a quick drop-and-catch maneuver got her into my arms properly for an easier carry.

"Hiwatari could become a serious problem," I answered Daisuke's optimism. "Hey, Kairi, your mom won't be worried that you stayed out all night, will she?"

"Nah. You called her, so she probably thinks I'm still at Daisuke's house posing for that painting, or walking home at the most."

"I see."

* * *

><p>I dropped her off at her house at sunrise, staying only long enough to give her her flippers and goggles back. "You're not too upset at the slight liberty I took, giving you CPR, are you?"<p>

"That was – ah, no. No, I'm quite fond of living, so I'm not upset." She was blushing, though. Then she got something of her old humor back. "Next time you decide to kiss me, though, I'd really rather be conscious!"

I laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

**Kairi**

So that was what I'd felt around the time I'd woken up. I suspected.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Episodes 10 and 11 take credit. "NDE's" is, obviously, "Near-Death Experiences."**


	5. Annoying New Girl

Annoying New Girl

* * *

><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

After a few more sight-games by Dark and Krad, and a few more days of Daisuke working on the painting – oh yeah, his dad and a strange woman named Towa have joined the Niwa household – I noticed Daisuke seemed stressed.

"Niwa," I set pace next to him, "is something wrong?"

"Huh? Uh…nothing! Nothing's wrong! It's just…" Then he sighed. "Remember that rutile ring my dad gave me?"

"Yeah..."

He leaned over and, cupping his hand near my ear, whispered, "Thanks to its magic, now Dark can take over whenever he wants!"

We stopped and I stared at him. "You don't joke, Niwa."

"It's not a joke." He sounded resigned.

* * *

><p>Then, in class while our newsboy was complaining over lack of news, a new girl showed up!<p>

And…she was wearing the craziest outfit in history! I openly stared. _My sight could go dim by Dark right now and I'd _still_ be able to see her!_

"Hello, my name's Mio Hio and I just got back from America!"

_That explains it._

After that, I didn't understand a word she said. Oh, I understood the words…but her context made absolutely no sense, and I didn't get her accent.

Newsboy Saehara went bonkers and immediately tried flirting with her, but she latched onto Daisuke of all people!

I did my best to tune her out. I wrote down possible chords and rhymes for the song I was writing instead. The song's almost done, actually. I'm calling it, at least for now, "On Jet-Black Wings." It's about Dark, though one has to be in the know to see that.

* * *

><p>I was relieved to get to swimming class. I was the fastest girl in the pool. Though…it just killed me to see the blue swimsuit that Mio…wasn't wearing. Guys would be drooling over her in <em>that<em>.

And she seemed to think Daisuke was hers. I watched her run out of the showers towards the pool with annoyance. "You know," I remarked to Riku, "I've never actually wanted to hurt someone before today."

"I know what you mean."

* * *

><p>We all got out of the pool for a second, but I noticed Daisuke looking even more stressed than before. That figures: Risa was getting out of the water practically right next to him. Yes, Daisuke had explained to me the basic idea of how he normally turned into Dark.<p>

He ducked underwater. I couldn't help but smirk. _Dark giving you a hard time down there, Dai?_

We finally all got lined up. I couldn't remember the assignment for today very well beyond the fact that it required our teams – I was so _bad_ at working with someone else!

Mio and Riku immediately wound up butting heads over Daisuke: technically he was assigned to Riku, but Mio wanted to be paired with him. I covered my face with my hands.

Finally, Daisuke got the stuff sorted out, and the time checking started. I noticed Mio getting into the water, though. I didn't know what was up with her, but I didn't trust her.

She ended up surfacing on the second lap, and Daisuke didn't come up. Hiwatari dove in after him fully dressed. Don't ask me how I got his glasses in my hands.

He dragged Daisuke to the surface, with the explanation of "I think he was drowning."

Daisuke was unconscious. Then Hiwatari said, to my mind at least, the most astonishing thing: "I'll have to give him CPR."

"Let me do it!" Mio protested, "This was all my bad!"

"Don't waste time!" he snapped. "Besides," he went on, calmer, "I have a license in CPR."

Well…he knew what he was doing, I'll give him that. I was mildly annoyed with the reactions of every female around me, though. _Hel-LO! That was _not_ a kiss!_ My eyebrow wouldn't stop jumping, though. I'd just added another item to my list of reasons that Hiwatari weirded me out.

And hey, it worked – Daisuke woke up! He gave Mio back her necklace. Then the teacher gave Hiwatari 100% for the CPR. Personally, I'd have taken Hiwatari out of the room before saying that, because she got Daisuke so embarrassed that he fainted.

I held out Hiwatari's glasses. "Here."

He took them back, anyways.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day was uneventful…if you can call Daisuke trying to avoid Mio "uneventful."<p>

It was a losing battle, though. Not against Mio: against Dark. My sight went dim.

I decided I didn't want to know.

* * *

><p>It was late before my sight came back.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Based on Episode 14. The number of female idiots in this episode boggles the mind - _CPR ISN'T A ROMANTIC KISS!_**


	6. Birthday Surprise

Birthday Surprise

* * *

><p><strong>Daisuke<strong>

Miss Harada's lost to me. After that date with Dark, she's never going to notice me.

_**You know,**_ Dark commented the next morning, _**if Risa hadn't said yes, I'd have asked someone else.**_

"Who?" I didn't really want to know, but I figured that Dark wanted me to know who the girl was he would have asked. I just hoped he didn't mean Miss Hio.

_**I could tease you, but actually I was thinking of Kairi.**_

"Miss Chiyoko?" I automatically looked at the painting of her I was making. It was actually almost done: one more sitting would probably finish it.

_**Yeah. Remember that conversation we had with her last time?**_

I remembered:

"_Niwa? I'm not going to ask for anything right now – from either of you – but…something I've felt since the Horn of Neptune thing is that…if I don't get the chance just once to be conscious through a kiss from Dark before he leaves permanently, I'd always feel like I missed something._"

_**Considering it took her ten minutes to get that out, I think she means it.**_

"So you think maybe asking her out on a date will give you a chance to give her a kiss?"

_**Something like that, yeah.**_

Then Mom came in. "Daisuke, another artwork has surfaced." She tossed me a newspaper.

I read the article. "The Charm of the Nightingale?"

"The studio that's holding it has decided to set up a singing contest in a week, and that necklace is first prize."

"So when are we stealing it? You haven't sent the warning letter yet, have you?"

"I wanted you and Dark to have some input on the content."

"Hmm…" I studied the picture a little more closely. It was a gold pendant that looked like a songbird with very big wings, dangling from a gold chain. The angle of the wings made it resemble a heart. "With a prize like this, most of the contestants will be girls."

_**I'd hate for them to be disappointed…**_ I wasn't sure I liked Dark's tone.

_Dark, you'd better not be thinking what I think you are._

_**Come on, what harm could it be? We steal the necklace on the night of the contest, and the winner gets a kiss!**_

I rolled my eyes. "Fine…whatever. Okay, the warning letter will say that we'll be taking the necklace from the winner." I didn't mention the kiss thing, but I figured Mom knew Dark well enough to put that down anyway.

I glanced at the conditions for the contest. In order to enter, the individual had to be fifteen at least. Good to know.

* * *

><p>The very next day, Saehara was talking about the warning letter. I was right: Mom had included Dark's gift to the winner. Every girl in the classroom was wishing they were old enough to enter, or had a good enough singing voice, or both.<p>

Well…every girl except two. Older Harada wasn't impressed with the news, and it didn't look like Miss Chiyoko was even paying attention. She was tapping her pencil in a quiet rhythm and humming.

"I'll be sure to let you all know when the final contestants have been released."

* * *

><p>About three days after that, Saehara came running in with the final contestant list. "Okay, we've got Serenity Gaius, Tiamaris Ho, and…" After a few more names, he suddenly came to a full stop. Something was up.<p>

"We-ell?" Miss Hio called. "Don't, like, keep us in suspense! Who's the last singer?"

"Kairi Chiyoko!"

Miss Chiyoko's head snapped up. "Wha? They accepted me?"

Everyone was crowding around her desk. "Oh, I'm so jealous!" Miss Harada said.

"Wait a minute," Older Harada asked. "Contestants have to be fifteen – you're _fourteen_!"

Miss Chiyoko, her face flaming, just shrugged. "I don't know if you'll believe this, but the contest lands right on my birthday."

"Oh, congratu-lations!" Miss Hio hugged her. Miss Chiyoko looked, if anything, more uncomfortable than before. "Can you, like, get us free tickets to the contest?"

"It's a free audience to the friends of contestants."

Hiwatari was watching her from across the room. His eyes were narrowed.

"Oh, uh, Daisuke?"

I jumped. It was the first time Miss Chiyoko had used my first name. "Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a favor outside?"

"Um…sure." We walked out, and I looked up at Miss Chiyoko. (She's a little taller than me.)

"Well…I'd like to get ready at your house."

"Why?"

"The obvious reason is that the outfit I want to wear is already there…"

_Oh, the black dress she poses in._

"…The other reason is…if Dark's going to steal the prize…"

_She was paying more attention than I thought._

"…Then maybe I should…get something from him. You know, to seal the thing if I happen to win."

"Oh. Okay, Miss Chiyoko, I suppose you can get ready at my house."

* * *

><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

When the big day came, I got all kinds of congratulations and presents. I got stuff from everyone except Hiwatari and Daisuke.

Hiwatari didn't surprise me. Daisuke kind of did, when it came down to it.

At six, I went to his house to get ready. I threw on the dress, pulled on some sandals, and did my makeup. Then I went into Daisuke's room, where he was waiting for me and playing with Wiff. Actually, it looked like he was whispering something to the little rabbit.

"All right, be honest: what do you think?"

He looked up, and I had the wonderful moment of seeing him blush. "Ah…you look nice!"

"So have you and Dark talked about what you're going to give me?" I pulled my hair into my line of vision and added, "Because I think whatever it is can go into my hair; I'd really rather not do a ponytail with this look."

While I was still looking at my hair, my sight went dim. "Oh, it didn't take that long to figure out what to give you: we figured it out while you were still getting ready."

I figured I knew why they'd switched places: Dark's taller than both Daisuke and me, judging by what little I could see, so he could fool with my hair easier.

I felt him twisting my hair into some kind of style on my head, with some of my hair still hanging down my back. Then he held something black in front of my face. "This will hold the whole thing together. If you win, you just pull this out and set it against the pendant. You'll know when it works." He pulled the feather into my hair and then I could see again.

I turned around and suddenly got a shock – Dark was standing there and I could see him! "Wha-" I spun around and stared at Daisuke.

"Wiff can look like me or Dark. I know you can't see Dark for real, but I figured you'd want to see him at least once."

I hugged him. "Thank you! This is the best birthday present I've received today!"

I could feel that he was blushing, but I didn't care.

Wiff returned to normal and Daisuke finally managed to ask, "So what did you think of him?"

"Let's just say I'm not surprised that every girl in town has fallen for him."

* * *

><p>I made it to the contest in time. I was told that I'd be performing last. I didn't mind: I needed to get my breath back.<p>

While I was waiting, practically all my friends came in to wish me luck. I was a little surprised to see Daisuke. I thought that Dark was going to come. Ah well: must be part of his plan.

What _really_ surprised me, though, was that Hiwatari came backstage to wish me luck! I hadn't realized he was even here!

"I…didn't know you were interested in music," I stammered.

"Oh, there's a good deal you don't know about me."

I didn't like the sound of that: it was kind of ominous.

**Daisuke**

I went backstage to find a good place to hide later. The plan was to listen through the contest, find out who the winner was, then slip back here to the hiding place, turn into Dark and…I don't know what Dark was planning to do after that in specific. But since Hiwatari was here, there were pretty good odds that we were going to have a harder time than I thought.

* * *

><p>Most of the songs were…there was always something slightly wrong with each one. They were distracted. I suspected most of them knew about the warning letter. This contest couldn't have gone worse if we'd planned it!<p>

Then Miss Chiyoko came on stage. She was nervous, but when she started singing, all her nervous vanished.

And she had the whole audience spellbound. That song she'd written, "On Jet-Black Wings," I'd never heard anything like it before, and yet it seemed strangely familiar…

I figured it out about the time the chorus came up: it was about Dark! She was boldly singing about Dark in front of the police!

When she let the last note trail off, there was a moment of silence. Then everyone started applauding!

_**Now that was a bold move. I liked it, though.**_

_And the best part about it was that there's no way anyone could tell unless they knew for sure it was about you!_

**Kairi**

They loved me! Everyone loved me!

* * *

><p>In ten minutes, the contestants were called up to hear the results.<p>

Third prize went to Tiamaris.

Second prize went to Serenity.

"And the first prize goes to…Kairi Chiyoko!"

The crowds started cheering again, louder than ever! I was stunned. _I won? Well…I _was_ the only one keeping her mind on what she was doing, I guess._

The Charm of the Nightingale was hung around my neck like a medal.

* * *

><p>I ran backstage as fast as possible while carrying the bouquet that went to every contestant. Finally I was able to stop, pull the feather out of my hair, and set it quill-pen-style against the bird.<p>

The feather started glowing and sank into the necklace, which also glowed for a second.

Practically right after I did that, my sight went dim.

"Not bad," a voice came from behind me. It wasn't Dark's voice, either.

I spun around. "Hiwatari?"

"I must say, you got higher marks on that song than anyone expected. I knew you'd win first place as soon as I heard you begin."

"Oh yeah?" Why was I worried about where this was going?

"Yes." Suddenly he grimaced. At least, I think it was a grimace. "Now I suggest you run, if you know anything about me."

_What – oh! Oh no! _Krad_!_

I ran, crashing into several doorframes on the way and still carrying the stupid bouquet. What did I think I was going to do with it, hit him in the face with it?

Then I went blind. At this point, with a white angel quite likely coming for me with intent on some version of murder, it was more than an inconvenience.

All I knew is I'd gotten outside before going blind. There was a change in the air, and in the sound under my sandals.

Then something so white I could see it even blind appeared in front of me! I yelped, skidded and ran – not the other way, but at an angle.

I honestly had no idea where I was going right now, aside from away from _him!_

_What does he want with me anyway?_

I suddenly was very relieved that I'd pulled my skirt up to free my legs, because it helped me avoid tearing my skirt when I tripped over a metal beam. I got a pretty bad cut on my leg, though, and there _wasn't any ground on the other side…_

I don't remember screaming or closing my eyes, but suddenly I felt strong arms catch me. Opening my eyes carefully, I couldn't see anything. This meant…Dark!

"What are you thinking, Krad?" Dark yelled past me. "Putting a blind girl in danger just to get me to appear? You know she's cursed, right?"

"Who do you think cursed her ancestor?" Krad retorted.

That was news to me: Grandmother hadn't mentioned it. Did she even know?

* * *

><p>I have no idea what happened after that. All I know is: Dark did several insane spirals in midair while still carrying me. <em>Roller coasters have nothing on Dark.<em>

Finally, my sight returned. Not totally, but enough to where I knew Krad was gone.

"Are you okay?" Dark asked practically right into my ear.

"Aside from a cut leg and a very good chance of a nervous breakdown as soon as we land, I'm okay." I don't know how I said all that with a straight face, but I did.

He laughed, anyway. "Well, where do you want to go from here?"

"_Not_ back to the auditorium, please. How about…someplace where you can help me with this leg?"

"Your wish is my command." And with that, he changed his direction. "So…what are you going to say to the police when they ask you about the Charm of the Nightingale being gone?"

"I'll tell them I fainted from the excitement, and when I came to, the thing was gone from my neck. And…as for how I got home, I'll tell them a friend gave me a ride. It's true, after all."

I felt, rather than saw, his smile.

* * *

><p>We set down at – I sniffed the air – the fountain. He set me down on the edge, and I suddenly leaned forward and gripped his shoulders, setting my forehead against his chest. I was shaking – badly. "I'm sorry," I stammered, "delayed reaction to what happened."<p>

He put his arms around me again, this time actually hugging me. "It's okay…it's okay, you're still alive. Everything's fine."

Finally, my shaking subsided and I let him go, sitting back.

He used water from the fountain to wash my cut – that _stung_ – and he bound it. By the feel, he'd used the fabric that had been around the bouquet.

"So…" I felt the necklace lift from my neck and swish through my hair, "Krad put the curse on my family."

"Yeah."

"Does that mean _you_ can _remove_ it?"

"Do you want me to?"

I sat there in silence for a minute, thinking. Then I answered. "No; thanks to Daisuke's 'present,' I've seen you already, and Saehara can give me a picture of you anyway. And…" I shuddered again, "I don't _want_ to see _Krad_."

I couldn't see him that well in the darkness, but he nodded understanding. Then he gave me the flowers of my bouquet. "These are a bit worse for wear, but you have them." Suddenly, he cocked his head. "Of course, since you don't want me to remove the curse, I'll have to think of something else to give you as a birthday present."

I rolled my eyes. I could _hear_ the smirk he was wearing.

Then he suddenly said, "I know! I even have it with me! I know you can't see anything right now, but…close your eyes."

I rolled my eyes again, but I closed them soon after, telling myself that I wouldn't open them again until he said to.

His hand gripped my shoulder and…

He kissed me! Full-on _kissed_ me! Not once, but _twice_!

I think…saying I was stunned would be an understatement.

As he pulled back, he whispered, "Happy birthday."

My eyes snapped open again. I could feel my face getting hot. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>He flew me to Daisuke's house so I could get changed again.<p>

While I was changing, my sight returned again. When I wobbled back out to Daisuke, I studied him. "Um…what with the way I'm staggering, I'll probably need a lift back home. Does your mom know the way to my house?" I already knew _Dark_ knew the way to my house – he'd dropped me off at home before.

"Uh…I don't think so. But you can give her directions since you can see now."

"Okay." Then I cocked an eyebrow. "Um…Daisuke? You've, um…got some lipstick smears on your mouth."

He freaked and looked in the mirror on his dresser. Then he ran out, probably to find a washcloth or something.

I laughed softly and shook my head. "The hazards of kissing a girl wearing makeup. Honestly, Dai, you're hilarious!" _Still,_ I touched my lips gently, _this is my best present. What I understand better than Risa is, you can flirt with the dark boy, but you can't exactly take him home. I'll treasure these moments I have with Dark forever._


	7. Holiday Hangout

Holiday Hangout

* * *

><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

Finally the holidays came, and Dark seemed to appear more often than ever. The way Daisuke had thrown himself at the concert project had been almost frightening. (Technically, that concert had heralded the beginning of the holidays.)

My leg still bothered me somewhat; it was hard to walk without a limp. The police, after having someone check me over and ask me questions about the missing necklace, left me alone.

* * *

><p>I wobbled out and looked around at the sky. "So beautiful…and now I can enjoy it without worrying about being late for school. At least I hurt my leg at the beginning of holidays, so I don't have any problems there." Then I stared off in the direction of Daisuke's house. "I wonder how he's doing. Something's been bothering him, and it wasn't…" I touched my lips with a small smile, "that kiss or two."<p>

Back to reality. "I wonder if I should visit him, and see how he's doing."

The thought was parent to the deed. My own parents don't really do much for the holidays, so I had free rein, especially once I turned fifteen.

* * *

><p>I had to walk to his house; since the Horn of Neptune incident, I had yet to find my bike. I'd left it somewhere out near the beach and with school and all, I hadn't had time to go find it again. That was probably the only inconvenient part of Dark flying me home: losing my bike.<p>

I swear, it took me an hour to get to Daisuke's house, and it normally takes me only ten minutes. When I got there, the Haradas were parked outside!

"Hey, Riku!" I peeked in the window. It was the first I'd seen them since the concert. "Trouble?"

She glared at Risa, who'd just gotten out. "Risa's bag was too heavy for the car, and we broke down."

"Oh." I sighed, leaning on the car. "I can't believe how long her infatuation's lasting. I figured out weeks ago that flirting with the mystery guy is okay, but you can't take him home with you."

"Oh, _she_ knows _that_. She's planning on following him everywhere _instead_ of taking him home."

I rolled my eyes. "The last time I saw her anywhere near Dark during one of his excursions, she was wearing a skirt and heels. She doesn't know the first thing about adventuring."

"What were _you_ doing out there?" Riku got out and looked at me.

"Don't ask."

Risa filled her in. "She'd gotten stuck in a trap. Mister Dark rescued her, and she was staying with him until he could get her out."

"And what happened to your leg?"

I was wondering how long it'd take Riku to notice I was favoring my left leg. "I tripped over something after the concert."

"Ow. Is it okay?" That was Risa, actually.

"Yeah, it'll be fine. I technically shouldn't have been walking on it, but I wanted to visit Daisuke. He's seemed bothered by something lately."

"Hmm…" Riku again.

Mister Niwa invited us in. "Kairi, you shouldn't be walking around with your leg like that!"

"Like I didn't already know that – yes, sir." Gotta remember to be polite, even if I'd been in the sun too long. "I just wanted to visit."

"Hold on," Risa pointed at him while looking at me, "how does he know you got hurt?"

I shrugged. "He helped me get home after the concert."

"Oh."

Then Daisuke walked in, still half-asleep. "I slept way too late today. Why didn't you wake me up, Mom?"

_Oh, this'll be good._

As soon as he realized the Harada twins were sitting there staring at him, he freaked out and ran back out into the inner sanctum of his house.

I snickered a little. "We startled him. He'll be back."

Riku looked at me with narrowed eyes. "I don't think it's that funny."

"I'm sorry…it's just that…no, it's not that funny. I just can't help it!"

After – I suspected – a conversation with Dark, Daisuke managed to come back into the room. By this point, the twins had figured out that this was his house.

"You've been here before and you knew it was Niwa's house?" Risa asked me. "Why didn't you tell us before?"

"You didn't ask me."

"Hello, Harada Sisters. Hello, Miss Chiyoko – how's your leg?"

"Better, thanks for asking."

Then Mio Hio came blasting through the door. I startled up to my feet, putting my full weight on both legs. "What's _she_ doing here – ow!" I sat down again. "It still hurts to put pressure on that leg!"

"Oh?" Mio looked up. "Why, Kairi, what happened?"

"You want the actual story? I got spooked after the concert, I was running with low visibility and tripped over the rail that keeps cars from driving off the road and over a cliff." Okay, I ended up in a bad mood thanks to Mio's appearance. I just don't like her.

At any rate, I got a chorus of "WHAT?" from all three girls.

"How did you survive that?" Mio asked, finally getting off of Daisuke.

I glanced at Risa. "Okay, take a guess." What with what was always on her mind right now, she'd probably land on the actual story.

Risa was quiet for a couple of seconds. Then she gave me a starry-eyed expression. "Mister Dark saved you?"

"Got it in one. He saved me from falling and tended to my leg. Then he left me where Niwa would find me, and Niwa got me home." Mostly true, anyway.

"Wow! Now I _know_ he'll make a great husband!"

_Gag me with a hairball._

Then Mio decided to cook some food for Daisuke. Honestly, I didn't think she should be trusted to feed Wiff, let alone Dai.

Then Riku went charging into the kitchen to compete against Mio for Daisuke's heart. I fell over sideways on the sofa and started talking to the ceiling. "Mio and Riku both seem to want Daisuke, Risa definitely wants Dark…and I don't seem to have any boy on my horizon who's even remotely close to being interesting."

Then chaos sounded in the kitchen. It sounded like Miss Niwa had set training traps for Daisuke and clean forgotten about mentioning it.

* * *

><p>Finally, some food was prepped. I wasn't hungry, not really, and after a certain point, everyone forgot I was there.<p>

Well…almost everyone.

"So, Kairi," Risa leaned over to me. "Mister Dark told me about the curse on your family."

"Huh?" Riku came over and sat down on my other side. "Kairi's got a curse?"

"Mm-hmm! It's an awful curse that means she'll never get to see Phantom Dark!"

"Not clearly, anyway," I added. "Whenever he appears, my sight goes blurry, or I even go blind."

"Which happened on the night of the concert?" Risa went on to her question.

"Hm? Oh…first my sight went blurry, and that was when I got spooked. I got outside and then went blind. My sight didn't come back even remotely until…" I stopped. How do I explain Krad?

"Well?" Risa prompted.

"Until I'd been carried in Dark's arms for a while."

"Oooh!" I'd just sent Risa off to Dreamland.

I rolled my eyes at Riku.

"You're awfully close to Dark, you know," Riku commented after their driver took their car to the repair shop.

"I think he feels kind of guilty about the curse," I stared at the ceiling again.

We went up to see Daisuke's room. Mio was poking her nose around everywhere.

Then I looked at Daisuke and started counting down on my fingers. He looked confused for a second. Then he looked almost panicked.

_Three…two…one…_

Mio opened the closet. "_Whoa_-oh! _Dai_suke!"

My black dress was hanging there, and sitting next to it was the picture of me, not quite done.

She pulled out the dress and picture. "This is, like, so exquisite! Kairi, is it yours?"

I rolled my eyes. "Well…yes. I'd asked Dai – um…Niwa to paint a picture of me that looked mysterious. I've been coming to his house to pose for him pretty often."

"I can see that!" She was studying the painting some more.

Risa suddenly got an Enlightened look on her face. "_That's_ why you knew this was Niwa's house!"

Riku looked at the dress. "This looks familiar…you wore this at the concert, didn't you?"

"Yeah, the favor I'd wanted to ask Niwa was if I could get ready at his house. I've seen no point in taking the dress home with me when I'm currently only really wearing it to pose for him."

Daisuke finally found the courage to speak up on the subject. "She's, um, a great model, and I wouldn't mind painting some other picture of her later."

That was the first I'd heard him say that, and I smiled at him. "Thanks, Niwa."

Then we went out on the balcony. I sighed. The breeze was so nice, and I couldn't help but think of all those times – well, okay, one time – when Dark flew me over to this very spot.

Then we went back in. By that time, Daisuke's mom was back.

"Hello, girls. How's that leg, Kairi?"

I was semi-balancing on one foot at that moment. "Okay, I guess."

"Well, you shouldn't go standing around all day like a stork! Come on, sit down!"

* * *

><p>So I got to sit outside while everyone else prepared a barbeque supper. I'll admit, it was pretty fun to hang out there while others were around.<p>

"Um…Miss Chiyoko?"

I glanced up. Daisuke was just looking at me, and none of the other girls were in sight. "Yeah, what's up?"

"It's just…um…the light's so perfect right now…"

I smiled at him. "You want to finish the painting, is that it?"

"Yeah, and what with the way the sunset's shining in your eyes right now..." he blushed a little.

"Do you want me in the dress?"

"No! No, that's okay. I've only got the face left to do, so you don't need the dress."

"Okay, you get the stuff while I get comfortable."

* * *

><p>Mio left around the time cake was brought out, and by that point, the painting was mostly done.<p>

"I'll come get some as soon as I've finished this."

Risa and Riku both looked over Daisuke's shoulders as he put some finishing touches on the painting.

"That's beautiful, Niwa." Since I was staring at some spot on the roof, I never saw who said that.

"Thanks, Miss Harada." And that gave me no clues who it was.

I went over to look at it as soon as he gave me the okay about moving. He'd captured my dark side! "Thank you, Daisuke."

He acted a little embarrassed. Okay, it was a lot embarrassed. "Oh, it was nothing."

Then I sat back down on the edge of the balcony.

"You know," Risa came over with some cake for me and sat down next to me, "I bet if a lot of boys saw that painting, you'd have a boyfriend before you knew it!"

"Yeah, but…" I stared out at the ocean, "do I really want a boy who only cares about what I look like? I want someone who's honest…who cares about who I am…who's sweet and sensitive…and doesn't care that I'm cursed."

"Oh." Then Risa asked, "Do you think Mister Dark counts on any of those?"

I cocked my head. "In my mind he fills all those points except the one about the curse. He cares; he still sort of feels that he's responsible."

_Daisuke fills all those points…but I know that for some reason I don't love him that way. Will I find anyone who's like Daisuke and Dark combined?_


	8. School Holiday and Transfer Student

School Holiday and Transfer Student

* * *

><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

We got back to school and almost immediately set off on a trip to a tropical island! Daisuke was excited – actually, all of us were excited. I half-wished that Dark would stay hidden away wherever he'd gone, so that I could actually _see_ for the next six days.

Hiwatari, from what little I saw of him, was choosing to be cryptic. _Is he the Daisuke-Dark combination I'm looking for? …Nah. He's just too…aloof._

Saehara was getting teased about his crush on Mio by some of the other girls. _Is _he_ the Daisuke-Dark combo – no, definitely not. He's too…too…journalistic!_

When we got there – a beautiful island – we were divided up. Boys got the first floor, and girls got the second floor. Naturally, no boys were allowed upstairs.

I found my room. It had a balcony overlooking the ocean, and looking down and to my left had me watching Daisuke and Saehara talking about something on their balcony. It sounded like another of Saehara's plots to get Daisuke near one of the Haradas.

And…Saehara had it bad concerning Mio. I tossed a crumpled-up ball of paper at Daisuke's head. "Hey there, Dai!"

"Huh?" He spotted me. "Oh, hey, Miss Chiyoko!"

"You'll let me know if anything unusual comes up, right?" I winked at him, trying to have my tone say, "Tell me if Dark's going to show up anytime during the trip!"

"Uh…okay, but I doubt anything will."

"Cool! See you at the beach!" I ran back into my room, waving at them.

* * *

><p>Frankly, I knew I wasn't going to actually swim, or do much of anything at the beach except sit – my leg still bothered me somewhat.<p>

Still, it was an excuse to sit around in a swimsuit and shades and get tan lines.

I settled back under an umbrella and stared at the ocean, ignoring the clicking of Saehara's camera as he snapped a million and one photos of Mio.

"Um…hi."

I tilted my head and peeked over my shades. A boy was standing there whom I'd never seen before. I couldn't see his hair very well under that sun hat he was wearing, but it looked to be raven-black (a black that shone blue). His eyes…they were blue as well, a very deep blue. He, like everyone else at the beach, wasn't wearing much, just some brown shorts, and he…wasn't terrible to look at. He'd probably finish growing up to be well-muscled yet lean. He seemed nervous for some reason. "Hello," I answered.

"You're…Miss Chiyoko, right? From the concert?"

Well, he keeps up with the news. "That's me."

"I'm, um…Koji. Koji Masako. I transferred here over the summer."

"Oh. Well, welcome to the neighborhood."

"Yeah…" He still seemed a little ill-at-ease.

"Hey, could you sit down? I'm not interested in getting a crick in my neck."

Well, he flopped down, anyway. "What happened to your leg?"

"Tripped." True, just not the whole truth.

* * *

><p>I spent the whole day with him. He was actually really fun, and did his best to make sure my leg didn't get stressed any more than necessary – actually, he was doing his best to make sure I was okay in general, without acting controlling. Okay…the only "controlling" he did was making sure I was the only guy I really hung out with. Not that I minded: he was funny!<p>

That night, I heard Daisuke arguing with Saehara about "stargazing." Spying on Mio Hio, I suspect.

The counselor finally made him stop.

* * *

><p>The next day was the nature hike. Koji walked on it with me, keeping me from stumbling or stressing my leg.<p>

"Are you sure you wanted to go on this?"

"I'm fine, as long as we take it slow."

* * *

><p>We saw a lot of amazing things, and barely managed to get back to the resort before it started raining. "Rainy days are so boring when I can't go outside!"<p>

"I hear you."

_We have a lot in common. He's been helping me keep up, and I've _been_ keeping up, because we both want to do the same things._

We were hanging out in the lobby, watching Daisuke getting bugged by Mio.

"She's…pushy, isn't she?" Koji sounded uncertain.

I sighed. "Only on Niwa." I stood up. "Come on, let's bail him out. I'll introduce you to him."

"Okay."

As it turned out, we didn't have to bail him out. She actually just gave him some advice!

"Well…we can introduce you to him tomorrow, or you can find him on your own or something."

"I guess… Is he your boyfriend?"

"Niwa? No. _He_ likes one of the Haradas. _We're_ just friends. _I'm_…I'm actually single." _And likely to remain so unless I find that Dai/Dark combo I'm looking for._

"Oh." After a minute, he asked, "Do you want to go stargazing with me tonight? The rain will stop in time for that."

"Okay. Stargazing is only something I can do for a short time by myself, though; I just have trouble holding any interest."

"Do you think it'll be easier if you're with someone else?"

I smiled at him. He looked different without the sun hat: almost like a raven-haired Dark with slightly shorter bangs. "_Everything's_ more fun with someone else!"

* * *

><p>When we got out onto the viewing platform, I saw that Koji had already set up a spot. "This ought to be the best place to see the meteor shower from."<p>

"Meteor shower?"

"Yeah. I overheard some of the girls saying it only happens every ninety years." He helped me get settled. Then he sat down next to me and started a total right turn to the conversation. "I hear that the neighborhood has a phantom thief."

"You mean Dark. Yeah, he's fun; a real ladies' man."

"You've _met_ him?" I had the sudden sensation of gaining some height in his eyes.

"Ah…we've crossed paths…about…twice. I think."

"Really?"

"Really. He saved my life both times."

"Wow!" After another minute of silence, he asked, "Do you know how to make contact with him? I wouldn't mind thanking him."

"_Thanking_ him?" _Why?_

"Yeah. If he hadn't saved your life, I'd never have gotten to meet you."

Before I could think of an answer, the meteor shower started. It looked like all the stars were falling out of the sky, and it was so beautiful! "Ooh!"

And for a long few minutes, neither of us said anything. We just stared up at the sky. I felt like I was sitting in a wonderland, and didn't snap out of it until I felt his hand touch mine, our fingers lacing together.

_I think…I might just have unwittingly found my perfect man,_ I thought, studying Koji's profile in the starlight. So like Dark, and yet…somehow softer, and more sensitive.

How was I going to tell him that when I only knew him two days?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I couldn't leave Kairi hanging without a boyfriend, so I made one! ^_^**


	9. Ice and Snow

Ice and Snow

* * *

><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

Now, I knew I had to tell Koji about the curse on my family and find out if he cared about it. I just…couldn't figure out how.

When we got back home, we traded addresses, and found out that we actually didn't live very far apart – only about five houses separated us!

I did finally get around to introducing him to Daisuke and the Haradas.

"Hey, Masako," I waved at him one day. "Are you going to draw anything for the cultural festival?"

"The festival? Uh…probably not; I'm not that good an artist. You?"

"I was…considering it. I'm a bit more of a musician than an artist, but…I'm not terrible."

"Hey, I like music, too! I can play the flute!" He seemed extremely happy to find another point in common with me.

I laughed. "I'll believe _that_ when I hear it!"

"It's not unpacked yet. I've been missing the thing."

"Poor baby," I teased. Then I grew serious. "Hey, Masako…there's something I've been meaning to tell you…about why I've met Dark at least twice."

"Really?" He sat down next to me.

"Yeah. Good thing you sat down, this is a little hard to believe." I took a deep breath. "My family…is under a curse."

"A curse?"

"Yeah…my great-great-grandmother met Dark when he came to her house to steal something. But she had her eyes closed so that she could truthfully say that she'd never seen him. Then after he left, another earthbound angel – that's what the Chiyokos have always called Dark, but this was someone else – another angel came by asking after Dark. She gave that line, and he found one of Dark's feathers. Using it, and probably one of his own as well, he cursed her, saying she'd never see another earthbound angel."

"Wow…harsh."

"It gets stranger. The curse means that whenever Dark or that other angel appears in this world, the most recent Chiyoko gets blurry sight. And if both appear at once, said Chiyoko goes blind. And when they leave, sight returns."

"So wait…you've met Dark, but you haven't really _seen_ him?"

"I've seen pictures. That's it. And my grandmother…her eyes are an odd color, sort of purple and gold mixed together, but she told me her eyes used to be brown. The curse affected her sight, and it also affected her eyes. I bet that once both angels leave for good, I'll end up with eyes like hers." I stared up at him. "Do you think that matters? At all?"

He stared at me in silence. Then he reached up and carefully touched my shoulder, almost exactly where Dark had set his hand. "No. It doesn't matter if you're cursed. As curses go, yours is pretty mild, and technology has allowed you to dodge it somewhat. It's no big deal."

I smiled at him.

* * *

><p>I finally decided what I was going to draw. I chose a raven and a dove, flying circles around each other above a church steeple. I gave the raven purple eyes, and the dove got yellow eyes. <em>Dark and Krad.<em>

"Hm." I cocked my head and studied the painting. Yeah, it ended up a painting; my paintings end up looking way more real than my sketches, and that's the way I like them when I'm entering them in a show. "Somehow, I got the body shapes of the birds the other way around. It's a white raven and a black dove. And yet…it seems appropriate. For what I'm thinking about, I mean. I think I'll call this painting _Contradictions in Nature._ That's what Dark and Krad are, after all. Dark may be, well, darkness and a thief, but he isn't evil – he's good-hearted and kind. And Krad may be light, but his heart has pure evil. I'm glad I'll never see his face."

* * *

><p>The next day, I found out about the play that we were going to put on, Ice and Snow. I wished I could be in it for real, but only guys could play the parts. The girls would be working backstage.<p>

I really felt sorry for Daisuke, getting unanimously voted into the heroine's slot. I'd abstained concerning voting for any of the female parts.

Though I did participate in voting Hiwatari into the hero slot. That made me feel a little bad for Daisuke, since so many people seemed to see something between the two of them, but I comforted myself by keeping in mind that it was Hiwatari's fault.

Hiwatari barely reacted to the fact that he'd been slipped into that role. Daisuke, on the other hand…looked ready to faint.

As soon as a girl asked if there was going to be a love scene and Saehara said yes, I walked over, grabbed Daisuke, and dragged him out. "Excuse me, Daisuke, could you help me find the art gallery? I don't go there much."

"Uh…okay, Miss Chiyoko."

**Daisuke**

Once we got a certain distance, Miss Chiyoko pulled me to a stop. "Sorry, but I figured you needed an out, and I had to leave before I threw up."

"Um…oh?"

"I know there's nothing between you and Hiwatari. Any statements to the contrary are all Crypto-boy's fault, what with the way he's acting about Dark."

"Oh. Well…thanks." I was grateful.

Hiwatari intercepted us, effectively calling this my fate.

"This whole semester is _crazy_!" I yelled.

Miss Chiyoko nodded slightly off to my left. "And frankly, if Saehara writes in a kiss between the hero and heroine, I could take your place. I'd be..."

I watched in amazement as she tried to say "happy to," and choked on the words. "Huh, really? But I thought the girls weren't supposed to be on the stage!"

"I convinced Saehara to write me in as a stunt double. After some of Dark's loop-the-loops, anything they come up with is nothing. I'm counting such a kiss as a stunt, and I know you don't want to do it."

"Miss Chiyoko…thank you. I know Hiwatari makes you uncomfortable."

"No more so than with you. It's just that I'm a girl."

**Kairi**

Yeah…I'm crazy. But better I have such an uncomfortable situation than Daisuke in the same spot.

* * *

><p>I remember rehearsals for this romance scene – whether it was me or Daisuke opposite Hiwatari – kept getting scolded by Saehara. "No, no, <em>no<em>! That's not good at all!"

"What?" I finally snapped at him on my last turn opposite Hiwatari. "That last one was flawless!"

I heard Hiwatari let out a soft laugh behind me.

I pointed at him. "And don't _you_ start!"

"Frankly," he held up a hand to stop me, "you're tense."

I sighed. "If Sae_hara_ would just _shut up_ and let me feel this scene _out_…"

Daisuke was blushing about as much as I was. Okay, more so; I was too tense to blush.

Saehara, and then later Daisuke's dad, finally told me the story of Ice and Snow, after I confessed I'd never heard it. It was a lot like Romeo and Juliet. And I'd opted to hear Mister Niwa's version because I figured Saehara would glamorize it.

I was looking over the script with Daisuke after the story when Daisuke suddenly started talking to himself. No…to Dark; apparently the guy was making wisecracks about the story, or Daisuke, or both.

"Do I want to know what he's talking about?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"It's not that important. Are you getting tired, Miss Chiyoko? I bet Dark could fly you home."

"Huh?" I stopped rubbing my eyes and looked at him. "No…lately my eyes have been itching. I'm not sure what the problem is – I don't have any allergies."

"Hm." I don't know what was going through his head.

Then it started raining.

"Besides, I'd rather we didn't both get colds from flying in the rain."

"That's true."

I ended up staying over at his house for the night.

* * *

><p>The next day, Saehara sent Riku off to find Daisuke. "Miss Chiyoko may be performing the acting part of the romance scene, but we still need the actual main character to read the lines!"<p>

I rolled my eyes. The number of times we'd done this scene still hadn't helped me relax around Hiwatari.

"Miss Chiyoko," Hiwatari suddenly spoke, "I'd like to speak with you after class."

"Huh?"

"You know, to go over the scene a few more times."

"Um…okay. It's not like I have anywhere to be…"

Then Hiwatari went after Riku to find out where they'd gone off to.

I dropped into my chair with a sigh.

"Are you okay, Miss Chiyoko?" Koji came over.

"Yeah…I'm just getting a headache from how much my eyes have been itching lately."

"Oh." He set his hands over my eyes gently. "Does that help?"

His hands felt cool, at least to my burning eyes. "Yeah, thanks."

* * *

><p>I felt him look over his shoulder after some protesting from Daisuke. Then he started laughing. "Hey, Miss Chiyoko, I think you'll want to see this." He uncovered my eyes.<p>

I leaned around him and looked.

Then I started laughing. "Is that blonde Daisuke?" I shouldn't have been laughing, but he just looked so embarrassed in the pink dress and blonde wig, and with makeup to boot!

"That's Daisuke!"

I covered my face. "I feel so ashamed of myself for laughing; this isn't the least bit funny to him!"

Then one of the other girls came over to me with a matching pink dress and blonde wig. "We need to get you looking just like Niwa in order for this to match."

"Okay, okay."

When they made me up, I did indeed look just like Daisuke did in the costume – blushing and all.

Saehara studied the two of us. "Okay, I admit it: there's barely any difference at all between you two with the costumes and makeup on."

* * *

><p>I didn't really try to get all the makeup off when I went to meet Hiwatari. The makeup artists and costume designers got to hang onto the dress and wig.<p>

I found him sitting under a tree, away from any paths. "Hey."

"Hello, Miss Chiyoko. Come, sit down."

I threw my jacket down next to him and sat on it. "I actually don't really like sitting on the grass in my uniform." In my mind, those short skirts were inconvenient in about five different ways.

"I can see that."

"So. You called this party, are we actually going to be rehearsing the play?"

"In a manner of speaking."

I sighed. "Okay, Mister Cryptic, have it your way." I pulled my backpack into my lap and started digging around in it, trying to find my script book.

He caught hold of my arm. "I'm not referring to the script."

I turned and stared right at his eyes. "I prefer hearing something straight out."

Hiwatari shifted so that he was partly on my jacket with me, letting go of my arm in the process. "Well…I remembered that I never did give you anything on your birthday. I was going to give you something after the concert, but when I became Krad, I lost the package. It wasn't that big, and…"

"Hey, it's not that big a deal. I wasn't really expecting anything from you in the first place."

"I'm considering it a big deal, and a personal failing of mine. I knew your birthday, and I knew you, and I failed to give you anything except a hurt leg."

Suddenly, I figured it out. "That's the problem, isn't it? The fact that it was my birthday, and Krad caused me to get hurt."

He didn't answer that with words, he just nodded.

"Well…" I thought about it. "If you really feel that guilty about it, and if giving me something will help you feel better…" _Though if it's a kiss that he gives me, I might just freak. Or not, I'll give myself some credit for courage._

…It wasn't a kiss. Or at least, that wasn't the first thing he did. "If you're going to work on this scene with me, the first thing we need to do is get you to relax around me." He set a hand lightly against my side.

I twitched away with a giggle. I'm actually kind of ticklish; it's amazing that Dark and Koji have both avoided triggering that on me.

He blinked at me in surprise. Then he got a look on his face that was all but wicked, and went, as far as I was concerned, completely out of character: he jumped towards me.

* * *

><p>The next few minutes were spent with him tickling me, and me laughing and trying to get him off me. I finally managed to pin him on the grass, pinning his arms down spreadeagled, but I didn't really have the strength to do anything else. I collapsed on his chest, still giggling and still with my hands resting on his arms; if he cared to, he could get his arms free.<p>

"Well," he remarked, as casual as if he was just leaning against the wall and not sprawled under a girl, "I'd say that worked."

I giggled a little more. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Do you mind getting off?"

I struggled up again, falling onto my jacket and placing my hands behind my head.

_That_ was when he kissed me. I stiffened for a second, but then I went with it, blushing. _I seem to be collecting any number of kisses; first Dark, and now Hiwatari. Who's next, Koji?_

I blushed even more. _Dare I think it?_

* * *

><p><strong>Daisuke<strong>

Towa and Wiff have both been acting strange lately. I wonder if it connects to Miss Chiyoko's itching eyes somehow…

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Actually, it does. Or rather, it's the other way around: her eyes connect to Wiff and Towa acting strange, and to the rutile ring acting up.**


	10. Ice and Dark

Ice and Dark

_A/N: Kairi's reaction to Hiwatari in the Dark costume was about the same as **my** reaction to him when I first saw the episode. ^_^_

* * *

><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

When we came to school on the weekend, Saehara was…in a dress…and a wig with pigtail braids and a bow. Everyone was giving him weird looks and he didn't seem to realize there was a problem with his outfit.

Oh, he was in mourning over Mio's transfer to another school. Good grief. I rolled my eyes at Koji.

Koji was snickering into a hand.

Finally, Saehara got on the ball and had us working on the love scene, _again._

"You must really like that scene," I commented as I walked to the front of the classroom.

Then I just about had a heart attack – _Dark_ walked through the door!

"WHAAA?"

"Is this the look you wanted?" the apparition asked…in Hiwatari's voice.

"Hiwatari?" I clutched my chest dramatically. "Thanks for the heart attack!"

Evidently, when Saehara had said a "romantic man," every girl in the school thought of the phantom thief. I hadn't needed the shock to my system.

* * *

><p><em>That<em> rehearsal was…interesting, and it was over early because the script-reader Daisuke had a cold. (No, I wasn't saying the lines for the love scene, my idea: to keep the voice congruent throughout the play, Dai would be reading the lines off-stage and I'd be lip-synching to his words.)

I wondered, as I went into my new hideaway – high branches in a tree near the school – how Daisuke was doing.

"Hello the tree," a familiar voice called up.

I leaned over and looked down. "Hey, Koji!"

He seemed extremely happy today. Maybe it was because I decided to call him by his first name this time.

"Mind if I come up?"

I swung so I was hanging upside down. "Sure, come on up!"

He climbed up to my level as I got upright again. "You sure like inaccessible places, don't you?"

"This is going to be my new hideaway, at least until the leaves fall off."

"Oh. So…am I trespassing?" He was teasing me.

"Nah."

We talked up there for a while, and then both of us went down and home.

* * *

><p>I spent the evening with an odd sense of foreboding: like something was going to happen.<p>

It was bad enough to where I couldn't sleep. So, I went out and sat by the fountain.

Then Daisuke wandered over in his pajamas.

"Daisuke?" I began to speak, but then I stopped. His eyes were vacant. _He's sleepwalking! Should I try to get him home?_

I stood up and went around to him, but suddenly I bumped into a kind of force field! No matter how I tried, I couldn't get through it! Even Wiff could get through, but not me!

Then, after a few minutes, Hiwatari ran over. "Kairi, where's Daisuke?"

I pointed slowly, and he ran past me as though there was nothing there.

Then suddenly, my sight went dim!

_Is waiting all I can do?_

Then Dark flew out. I'm amazed I saw him in the night. "Dark, wait!"

He checked his flight and looked down.

"I'm not about to try to walk home with dim sight in the dark. Could you turn back, or give me a lift, or something?"

He swooped down and picked me up. "I'll give you a lift," his voice was worried, "but I can't take you home just yet; something terrible has happened."

* * *

><p>We went to the Niwa residence. I didn't ask him any questions on the way, because I doubted he'd answer them.<p>

I got the full story there. "Daisuke has been taken by some woman named Freedert or something."

_Freedert? Like the part that Daisuke and I were playing in _Ice and Snow_?_

Evidently, there was some kind of plot going on. I chose to sit back, listen and hope something made sense.

Nothing did, except for the fact that apparently Daisuke's painting was connected somehow.

I shivered, feeling cold.

Dark noticed. "Are you okay, Kairi?"

"Um…this sounds ridiculous, but I feel like I'm standing in the snow."

Dark suddenly surged out of his chair. "What?" He caught my shoulders roughly. "What else?"

"Just…snow. And, um, like there's snow falling around me."

Dark visibly attempted to calm down, noticing I was nervous. "Daisuke's painting was of a snowscape…are you saying you can feel…"

"My guess is," I decided to try to get some handle on the situation, "that Daisuke's been dropped into the world of his painting, and since I was also playing the part of Freedert, I can sort of feel what he's doing right now."

Dark told the three Niwas that the painting was at Riku's house. "Don't look so down – I'll just have to get it back. Although, I'd hate to lower my standards by stealing an amateur's work."

I banged my head on the table. "I get that you're trying to stay calm, Dark, but that was a ridiculous joke!"

He stroked my hair. "Don't worry, soon Daisuke will be back and you can have clear sight again."

He went off on his little thievery mission, and I sat back and waited. Then I yawned.

"Would you like to use Daisuke's room until he comes back?" Mrs. Niwa asked.

"Hm? Okay. I guess I can have that magic trick happen like the first time," I elaborated as I went up to Daisuke's room, "go to sleep with fuzzy vision and wake up with clear sight."

* * *

><p>I must have fallen right to sleep. I ended up dreaming.<p>

_I don't remember much about that dream. Daisuke was in snow, and Dark was arguing with Riku – why would Dark be arguing with Riku? Yet…that part still seemed to make sense. Then Dark was arguing with Daisuke – why would they be arguing? Would it have anything to do with Riku?_

* * *

><p>Fingers brushed my cheek.<p>

"You've been sleeping here a lot lately, did you notice?" a voice teased.

_Dark?_

I jumped back.

My sight was still blurry. Dark was balanced on the ladder, just looking at me. "Take it easy, I wasn't going to do anything."

"Where's Daisuke? …Good morning, Dark."

"That's more like it." He got off the ladder and let me get down. "Daisuke chose to stay in the world of his painting. I'll have to go back and get him somehow. And his painting's gone completely black."

"That's…not good."

* * *

><p>In the living room, Mister Niwa told us what really happened in the story of <em>Ice and Snow<em>, really named _Ice and Dark_.

This story was way darker than _Ice and Snow_; it had an extra character, a guy named Kyle, and he'd wished for Elliot to be killed so that he could have Freedert. I shivered again, and not because of anything Daisuke was feeling.

Elliot's sword, now named the Wedge of Time, was possibly the key to getting Daisuke back!

"Where is it?" his mom asked.

"It's been missing ever since Kyle died. It may be hard to find now."

"But we _can't_ just give up!" I yelled, surging to my feet.

…And nearly falling over the coffee table.

Dark caught me. "I agree. Enough sitting around talking, we need to find that sword!"

* * *

><p>I skipped school. I figured Saehara could get along without me; he never liked me as the Freedert-stunt-double anyway.<p>

Towa got a reading on the sword. Dark was about ready to freak. I pushed back the hood of the robe that Miss Niwa let me borrow. "You know, I don't care what you say, Dark: I think you _do_ care about Daisuke."

"I – " he spun to face me.

I held up my hand. "I just said I don't care what you say. I'll believe what I want to believe."

"You're impossible."

"Thanks."

* * *

><p>Dark carried me along to the location of the sword. "If it's a trap, I'll need your eyes to tell me if Krad's going to appear."<p>

I clung to his vest, nervous. Oh, I trusted him in the air, but…I didn't know what was happening right now.

We slipped into a building.

"Any warnings yet, Kairi?"

"Nothing yet; if we see Hiwatari, though, I doubt you'll need _my_ eyes to tell you if Krad's going to appear."

"True. And if that's the case, you find a good place to hide; I'll come back for you."

"Okay."

We found the sword, but suddenly a blur grabbed the thing and jumped down a level!

"You always have to make a flashy entrance, Hiwatari!" Dark called.

I let go of his arm. "I think I'll find that hiding place now."

He passed me the painting. "You hold this."

I found a decent spot away from any windows and crouched down, the painting clutched tightly in front of me and my eyes closed.

I peeked once. I saw nothing: only blackness.

_Here we go._

I heard breaking glass, and Krad's voice yelling at Dark. I also heard the Haradas. _What are they doing here?_

I don't have a clue what was going on. I carefully made my way down the stairs that I found, listening. It sounded like Dark had escaped with Riku, and now Risa was trying to talk to Krad, calling him "Hiwatari."

"Tell me," Krad addressed Risa, "why do you have the same eyes? All of you?"

I wished there was something I could do, but I was blind, and all I had to throw anyway was the painting. _Come on…get back here, Dark…_

Then suddenly, a light show happened that I could see, Krad started yelling, and my sight came back! Not all the way, but enough for me to run down the stairs without worrying too much about tripping.

Well…I did trip once near the bottom, but I positioned myself to protect the painting.

I think I knocked myself out when I reached ground floor.

* * *

><p>When I woke up, I could see again, and it was night. <em>What just happened?<em>

I wandered around until I found the fountain. Looking up, I saw that Daisuke was up there. He looked like he'd rather be left alone, so I just went home.

Right around the time I reached my door, it started snowing.

_Do you ever feel like you just missed out on something crucial?_


	11. Eyes of Angels

Eyes of Angels

* * *

><p><strong>Kairi<strong>

Winter break was here, Christmas was coming, and I would have been in quite high spirits…except no snow would come this time.

I lay back in my room, staring at my cell phone. _Should I call Koji? It's not like I don't have him on speed-dial…_

I couldn't decide. Finally, I went out.

While I was out, my eyes started itching like fury – they were almost burning!

I covered my eyes with my hands. "What's going on?"

"I'm kind of wondering the same thing," Koji's voice reached my ears.

"Koji, my eyes…like that time in class before, only worse!"

He set his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry I can't do anything for you. I feel so helpless!"

I thought about that. "Just…stay near me. We might end up seeing Dark, and you'll get your chance to thank him."

"Okay."

Then my sight flickered and faded! Not entirely, but enough to where I knew, one angel had appeared. "Get me to the Niwa house, quickly!"

"Why?"

"Just _do_ it!"

He got me onto his back and ran. I'd shown him where it was, and we got there quickly.

* * *

><p>When we were almost there, though, an earthquake shook us both off our feet!<p>

Koji kept me from hitting the ground too hard. "What was _that_?"

"You're asking _me_?"

Then a black-dressed kid on a bike sped past us.

Koji got me back onto my feet. "That was Daisuke!"

_Oh, god, no!_

I caught Koji's shoulder. "I hate to tell you this, but we have to follow him."

"What?"

"I have something he has to hear."

"Okay…"

I ran with him this time, my hand in his.

* * *

><p>We kept pace pretty well. We were especially able to catch up once Riku got him to stop.<p>

I was a little surprised to recognize Riku, but…not too surprised that she was here.

I convinced Koji to hang back while Daisuke and Riku talked. "Koji…what's Daisuke wearing?"

"Uh…a black coat…and black pants…both look a bit too big for him."

"Okay, I think I can tell you, because this is doubtless the only time you'll ever see this. Dark…lives inside Daisuke."

"Really?"

I nodded.

"So wait…if Dark's _inside_ Daisuke right now…then why's your sight dim?"

"I'd mentioned _two_ angels, Koji. If the one hasn't appeared yet, then the other's awake."

"Oh. What's his name?"

"The other angel? Krad."

Then another earthquake started!

"Let's get out of here!" Koji started dragging me.

"No matter what," I yelled, "keep an eye on Daisuke if you want to thank Dark!"

Then, after a minute, my sight vanished completely.

That was my signal to trip. Koji kept me from hitting the ground.

"Follow Dark, Koji. I'm sure you can see him."

"Oh _yeah_, I can see him! He's carrying Older Harada!"

* * *

><p>He ran and ran…and then we stopped. I could hear Risa calling Riku's name. "Hey there, Risa."<p>

"Hm? Oh, hi, Kairi, Masako. Have you seen Riku?"

"Let's just say," I cocked my head, "that I can't see anything right now."

"You're – " Before she could finish the sentence, Dark landed. I could hear his wingbeats.

After a family reunion, Risa thanked Dark for saving Riku and loving her grandmother, and he complimented her for becoming a lady.

"Uh, Dark, sir?" Koji stepped forward. "I, um, always wanted to meet you. I know you're probably in a hurry, but thank you for saving Miss Chiyoko all those times."

_Exaggerator._

Dark laughed a little. "You're welcome."

I raised my hand. "You probably already know this, but Krad's out." I walked over with my hand still upraised until I felt my hand hit his shoulder. "I feel like this is could be the last time I ever cross paths with you. Be careful."

Knowing that at the moment my eyes were useless, Dark pulled me into his arms for one last hug. "I'm sorry about the curse. After tonight, though, you probably won't suffer from it anymore."

"_Won't suffer from it anymore," huh? That could either mean I'll stay blind or get my sight back permanently. Who knows which?_

Then he took off again.

* * *

><p>I have no idea what happened after that. I tied Koji's handkerchief over my eyes so that I wouldn't strain them attempting to see when they wouldn't work, and I kept a hold of Koji's hand through the entire sitch.<p>

Oh yeah – I was terrified. I'm not even completely sure why.

* * *

><p>The clock struck midnight. It was Christmas Eve.<p>

_Dark…you have a strange idea for a Christmas present, even if it does come a day early._

Then suddenly, my eyes hurt worse than they ever had in my life, and I screamed.

"Miss Kairi!"

_Funny; that's the first time you've ever used my name._ "Let's…go find Daisuke."

We went with the Haradas. As the sun rose, we finally found both Daisuke and Hiwatari.

Yes, Daisuke and Hiwatari. They were no longer angels.

I'm not sure what happened next. I hadn't removed the kerchief from my eyes. I was scared to.

After about five minutes, I heard Koji's voice. "Miss Kairi, aren't you going to remove the blindfold?"

"I…probably should…but…"

I felt everyone's attention come to me.

"But…I'm scared to."

"What?" That was Daisuke.

"What if…I still can't see?"

I felt Koji turn me so that I was facing him and untie the kerchief. "Take that chance, Miss Kairi. I want to see your eyes again."

I stood there for a second with my eyes closed. Then I slowly opened my eyes.

My vision blurred…and cleared. I was staring into Koji's midnight blues.

And he looked shocked.

I smiled. "I _can_ see!" Then I cocked my head. "But what's with the face, Koji?"

He turned me towards the others. "Do any of you see it?"

They all blinked astonishment of their own.

"_What_?" I finally asked, exasperated. "What happened to my eyes? I already _knew_ that they'd change color…"

"That's not it," Hiwatari interrupted me.

Risa finally said it. "You've got odd eyes now."

My brain came to a full halt. "Are you joking? I want a mirror."

We went back to Daisuke's house and he found a mirror. I stared at my reflection.

My right eye was the same deep purple as Dark's! And my left eye was yellow, with a pupil that looked like a cat's!

_Dark and Krad! How did I end up with _their_ eyes?_

"Maybe," Koji thought out loud, "maybe it's that they both vanished at the same time. Your grandmother…it was a disappear-separately thing, right?"

"Yeah…probably." I turned to face him. "This doesn't change anything, does it? I mean, I wasn't expecting a color change like this, and who knows how else this misadventure affected me – "

Koji suddenly kissed me! And when he broke it off, he murmured, "You worry too much."

That second kiss lasted for way longer, and it was wonderful! I'd only felt like this when Dark gave me that birthday present!

_Merry Christmas, everyone._

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: The End, right? Well...not quite._**


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue

* * *

><p><em>Ten years later<em>

**Kairi**

"This is strange," I heard the doctor say as I slowly came awake. "The second son isn't crying."

_I have twin boys?_ I couldn't believe I'd passed out over the labor. I blinked slowly at Koji, who judging by his expression hadn't left my side. "How long did that take?"

"The labor? About eight hours. Your being unconscious? Probably about five minutes. The first kid screamed like a siren."

"I heard _that_…"

He put the first kid into my arms. His eyes were slightly open and just blinking up at me. I couldn't make out the color very well, but he seemed oddly resentful about being born, and don't ask me how I could tell that.

Then the doctor came over with the other one. "His eyes are open. He'd gotten used to the light faster than any newborn I've encountered."

I took him into my arms as well and studied him. His eyes were not only open, they were oddly focused and a deep purple.

Suddenly, I had a suspicion. If my _eyes_ had been affected by the two angels vanishing at the same time – but had the angels really vanished? Or had they just relocated?

I looked at Little Resentful. "You're Krad, aren't you?"

Finally he opened his eyes farther and made an attempt to look at me, as if he understood that. Sure enough, his eyes were yellow with slit pupils; wide slits, but slits nonetheless.

_That means…_

I turned my attention back to my other twin, who seemed oddly expectant. "_Dark?_"

And then Little Dark laughed.


End file.
